WEEK 9: SPACE + ART

Since growing up, I’ve always been fascinated by astronomy and space. I always enjoyed drawing or painting planets, stars, or even galaxies. I believe studying astronomy and quantum physics is a sort of religion, in which certain people use these sciences to make sense of their realities and fuel their imaginations.

(http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/meet-the-father-of-modern-space-art)

For example, this lecture and assignment motivated to seek out specifically artists and astronomers and I came across the International Association of Astronomical Artists, who believe that “Space Art” is “is the genre of modern artistic expression emerging from knowledge and ideas associated with outer space, both as a source of inspiration and as a means for visualizing and promoting space travel.” Here is a photo of Titan’s surface by one of the contributing artists below.

(http://iaaa.org/gallery-iaaa/)

Artists have paved the way for humans to visualize how space and the universe looks like. Our space explorations caused a paradigm shift in human possibilities of exploration and immensely heightened our curiosities. Author Leonard Shlain argues, “Art interprets the visible world. Physics charts its unseen workings. The two realms seem completely opposed. But consider that both strive to reveal truths for which there are no words––with physicists using the language of mathematics and artists using visual images.”

  (http://hubpages.com/art/How-to-do-Spray-Paint-Art)

 Copernicus paved the way for either artist, mathematician, or scientist, to comprehend what lies beyond our physical space and planet. As our lectured showed, his influence still hangs over all of these disciplines and society to this day. All of his discoveries were translated in many ways and required artists to bring these ideas alive. For example, Jonathan Keats made an installation of "Copernican art" which shows a sculpture of hydrogen in front of beige canvases representing the universe.

 (http://www.space.com/14701-keats-copernican-art-manifesto.html)

 I believe that "Space art" is a perfect example of how both parts of our brains used simultaneously   over time has helped society and innovate our possibilities of human intelligence. These lectures and the research made by these ideas on this assignment reinstate my beliefs of its potential to expand. 

 Citations

Uconlineprogram. "8 Space Pt1 1280x720." YouTube. YouTube, 29 July 2013. Web. 29 May 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=127&v=6ZIqTR332l8>.

"What Is Space Art?" International Association of Astronomical Artists. N.p., 11 Mar. 2016. Web. 29 May 2016. <http://iaaa.org/what-is-space-art/>.

"Cool Cosmos." Cool Cosmos. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2016. <http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/ask_astronomer/getting_involved/>.

"Meet the Father of Modern Space Art." Atlas Obscura. N.p., 27 May 2016. Web. 30 May 2016. <http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/meet-the-father-of-modern-space-art>.

Shlain, Leonard. Art & Physics: Parallel Visions in Space, Time, and Light. New York: Morrow, 1991. Web. <https://books.google.com/books?id=vPYJVfTudNoC&dq=space+art&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiGgtDsgIHNAhUH7GMKHaxTAOc4ChDoAQhfMAk>.

"Nicolaus Copernicus Biography: Facts and Discoveries." Space.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2016. <http://www.space.com/15684-nicolaus-copernicus.html>.

"Artist Pushes for 'Copernican Revolution' in the Arts." Space.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2016. <http://www.space.com/14701-keats-copernican-art-manifesto.html>.